News / Air and sea gateways batten down for Hurricane Helene

Picture: NOAA

Gateways across Florida have shuttered in advance of Hurricane Helene’s expected imminent landfall, with airports and ports in Alabama and Georgia operating under contingencies.

Meteorologists at the US National Hurricane Center advised that Helene was making its “expected turn” towards the southern states, bringing it to the Florida coast.

US National Hurricane Center

“A catastrophic and deadly storm surge is likely along portions of the coast, where inundation could reach up to 20ft above ground level, along with destructive waves,” the center said.

“There is also a danger of life-threatening storm surge along the remainder of the west coast of the Florida peninsula. Residents in those areas should follow advice given by local officials and evacuate if told to do so.”

In response, ports in Canaveral, Fernandina, Fort Myers, Tampa, Jacksonville, Key West, Manatee, Panama City, Sarasota and St Petersburg have all closed.

Partial restrictions have been imposed at the port of Miami Dade and Georgia’s port of Savannah, which warned its gate openings  would be delayed by two hours.

On the air side, both Miami International and Atlanta airports have been paying close attention to the unfolding situation, the former directing customers to a series of safety tips from Miami-Dade County officials, which notes the region is in a “tropical storm warning”.

In a message on X, Atlanta Airport noted that it “has a severe weather plan in preparation for potential impacts based on the current weather forecast. Even if the storm has minor impacts in Atlanta, severe weather across the south-east could impact flights,” as some forecasters warned that Helene could result in a Category 4 storm, bringing winds of 130-156 miles per hour.